Method of applying slide fasteners



1967 E. H. DEGRAW METHOD OF APPLYING SLIDE FASTENERS Filed Jan.

1 INVENTOR. EILEEN H. DEGRAW ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,348,509 METHOD OF APPLYING SLIDE FASTENERS Eileen H. Degraw, 12 Orchard Circle,

Sulfern, N.Y. 10901 Filed Jan. 4, 1966, Ser. No. 518,699. 1 Claim. (Cl. 112-265) The present invention relates to a method of applying slide fasteners. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved method of applying slide fasteners which eliminates one or more of the prior art steps.

One of the most difficult sewing operations for the home dressmaker is the correct application of slide fasteners to the garment being sewn. The method commonly suggested by manufacturers of slide fasteners involves a number of steps, which must be followed carefully if satisfactory results are to be obtained. For example, in applying a centered slide fastener, the operator, after determining the appropriate length of the placket, usually machine-bastes the placket opening and presses the seam open to obtain a flat surface. Then the operator, after opening the slide fastener, positions it face-down on the inside of the garment, with the edge of one of the interlocking fastener elements at the seamline and sews said first element to the garment. Then, after closing the slide fastener, the operator sews it completely onto the garmentI Finally, after removal of the machine-basting at the placket opening, the application of the slide fastener is completed.

Another disadvantage of the prior art methods is the fact that, since the slide fastener is wholly positioned on the inside of the garment during the application, all sewing steps must be done from the inside of the garment. Since the final stitching will be visible from the outside of the finished garment and will contribute to the appearance thereof, it would be desirable to apply said final stitching from the outside in order to better control the straightness thereof. The prior art methods, however, have failed to suggest a suitable manner. of doing so.

More recently, a number of methods for applying slide the straightness thereof. The prior art methods, however, generally necessitate the use of complicated sewing machines and, consequently, are only of use to commercial establishments and not to the dressmaker who sews a limited numer of garments at home.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel method for applying slide fasteners. It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved method for applying slide fasteners which eliminates one or more of the suggested prior art steps. It is another object of the invention to provide a simple method for applying slide fasteners which does not require the use of unconventional equipment. These and other objects of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the instant specification.

In its broad aspect, the invention relates to a method for applying a slide fastener to a previously-prepared opening in a garment, said method comprising the steps 0 (a) Applying temporary stitching to close said opening along the line corresponding to that which one Wishes the interlocking portion of the slide fastener to follow;

(b) Positioning a slide fastener on the inside of the garment with the interlocking portion thereof in juxtaposition with the line of temporary stitching;

(c) Temporarily securing slide fastener onto said garment by a plurality of strips of adhesive tape;

a length substantially equal to the length of the slide ((1) Placing an elongated strip of adhesive tape having a length substantially equal to the length of the slide fastener and a width smaller than the width of the slide fastener on the outside of the garment in a position corresponding to the position of the slide fastener;

(e) Permanently sewing the slide fastener onto the garment by means of a sewing machine, using the edges of the elongated strip of adhesive tape as directional guidelines; and

drawing, positioned thereon and terrrpor'arily secured is opening 'by a line of loose stitching.-

thereto by means of strips of adhesive tape.

FIG. 3 shows thecorresponding section viewed from the outside of the garment after permanent stitching has been applied.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, FIG. 1 l

illustrates a section 10 of a garment, viewed from the inside of said garment. Said section shows the placket opening 13, formed by lapped edges 11 and 12, said edges being temporarily secured to each other at the placket In FIG. 2, slide fastener 14 is shown positioned face down over the placket opening 13, in juxtaposition with the temporary line of stitching. Said slide fastener 14 is temporarily secured to the garment by strips 15, 16 and 21 of pressure-sensitive transparent adhesive tape.

In general, the number of strips to be used in order to achieve a satisfactory contact with the garment de pends on the length of the slide fastener and on the width of the tape. It has been found that satisfactory results can be obtained by using tape of one-half inch width and by applying strips thereof across the terminal ends of the slide fastener and at about every 2 to 3 inches therebetween.

The type of adhesive tape which can be used in con- I nection with the present invention is any tape which will adhere securely to the slide fastener and to the garment and which, at the same time, can be safely removed Without marring or otherwise damaging the material. The generally preferred tapes include pressuresensitive transparent adhesive plastic tapes of the type sold, for example, under the trade name Scotch, by Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co. In certain cases, where the color of the garment makes it difficult to see a clear transparent tape, translucent tapes of colors contrasting with that of the garment can be preferably used.

FIG. 3 shows outside section 17 of the garment corresponding to inside section 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2. An elongated strip 18 of adhesive tape is shown positioned onto placket opening 13 and centered thereon. Said adhesive tape, which is preferably of the above-mentioned transparent type to facilitate centering with respect to the placket opening, must have a width smaller than the Width of the slide fastener which is being applied. For example, in the application of most commonly-used slide fasteners, a pressure-sensitive transparent adhesive tape of one-half inch width is preferred. Said tape should extend from the fixed end of the metallic fastening elements up to the edge of the garment opening in order to insure accurcay in sewing.

Parallel to the edges of the strip of tape and removed therefrom by about one-sixteenth to about one-quarter inch, are machine stitches 19 and 20, which serve to permanently secure the slide fastener onto the garment.

With continuing reference to the drawings, the method Patented Oct. 24, 1967 of the present invention is carried out by forming the placket opening and. temporarily closing. sameasmshown. a

in FIG. 1, in a manner well known in the art. Subsequently, a slide fastener of the desired length is positioned over the opening and temporarily attached to the garment by means of short strips of adhesive tape as shown in FIG. 2. The garment is then reversed and an elongated strip of adhesive tape is placed on the outside of the garment, in a position corresponding to that of the slide fastener. The slide fastener is then permanently fastened to the garment by means of a sewing machine, using the edges of the elongated tape as sewing guides as shown in FIG. 3. The use of said guides makes it possible to obtain straight and attractive stitches.

After the adhesive tapes on both sides of the garment and the temporary stitching have been removed, the upper edge of the garment can be folded and sewn to form the desired finished edge or hem and the garment is ready to be Worn.

It will become apparent to one skilled in the art that minor modifications can be made to the method of the present invention without departing from the scope thereof. For example, in employing the present method in the application of lapped or side slide fasteners, certain minor modifications, which would be apparent to one skilled in the art in the light of the present invention, may be made.

What is claimed is:

A method for applying a slide fastener to a previouslyprepared opening in a garment, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) applying temporary stitching to close said opening along the linecorresponding to that which one wishes the interlocking portion of the slide fastener to follow:

(b) positioning a slide fastener on the inside of the garment with the interlocking portion thereof in juxtaposition with the line of temporary stitching;

(c) temporarily securing slide fastener onto said garment by a plurality of strips of adhesive tape;

(d) placing an elongated strip of adhesive tape having a length substantially equal to the length of the slide fastener and a width smaller than the width of the slide fastener on the outside of the garment in a position corresponding to the position of the slide fastener;

(e) permanently sewing the slide fastener onto the garment by means of a sewing machine, using the edges of the elongated strip of adhesive tape as directional guidelines; and

(f) removing the adhesive tapes and the temporary stitching.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,145,552 1/ 1939 Marinsky 112-265 X 3,002,478 10/ 1961 Duchan 112-265 3,003,445 10/1961 Crystal 112265 3,006,302 10/ 1961 McNamara 112265 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

H. F. ROSS, Assistant Examiner. 

